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Cubs announce 2014 minor league coordinators

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Press Release |

The Chicago Cubs today announced the club's minor league coordinators for the 2014 season.

Tim Cossins returns for his second season as the organization's minor league field/catching coordinator following 10 years in the Miami Marlins farm system, including the last six as the minor league catching coordinator. He was also a manager in the Marlins minor league system from 2003-07. Cossins began his coaching career in 2000 and in 2001-02 was the Major League bullpen catcher for Kansas City. The former catcher played eight minor league seasons (1993-2000) in the Rangers, Yankees and Expos organizations.

Derek Johnson returns for his second year as the Cubs minor league pitching coordinator following 11 seasons (2002-12) at Vanderbilt University as the team's pitching coach, including the last three as the school's associate head coach/pitching coach. He earned National Pitching Coach of the Year honors in 2004 and National Assistant Coach of the Year honors in 2010. In 2011, he helped lead the school to its first-ever College World Series appearance. While at Vanderbilt, he helped develop six pitchers that were selected in the first round/supplemental first round of the MLB Draft, including David Price.

Anthony Iapoce begins his second season as the organization's Special Assistant to the GM and Player Development, overseeing the minor league hitting program while contributing to additional projects within the organization. Iapoce spent the 2010-2012 seasons as roving hitting coordinator for Toronto and served as the hitting coach for the Marlins Single-A Jupiter affiliate for two seasons (2008-09). A former outfielder, he played 11 minor league seasons in the Brewers and Marlins organizations, as well as independent ball, after being selected by Milwaukee in the 33rd round of the 1994 draft.

Jose Flores returns for his second season as minor league infield coordinator, his 14th year as a coach or manager. Flores spent two seasons as manager of the Puerto Rico National baseball team (2011-12) and was a bench coach for Ponce Leones in the Puerto Rico Baseball League (2010). He handled similar duties for the Gaguas Criollos baseball club in 2008, the same year he managed the Cleveland Indians Dominican Summer League team. After playing six seasons in Houston's minor league system (1990-95), he began his coaching career in the Puerto Rico Winter League (2001-06).

Carmelo Martinez enters his 17th season in the Cubs organization, beginning his second stint as the organization's Latin American Field Coordinator after serving as hitting coordinator for the Cubs Single-A, Rookie League and Dominican League teams last season. Previously, he was Chicago's Latin American field coordinator for five years (2008-12). The former Major League outfielder and first baseman spent 10 seasons at Rookie-League Mesa, handling managerial duties from 1999-2003 and 2006. His 2002 Mesa club won the Arizona League title with a 35-21 record. Martinez played nine big league seasons with the Cubs (1983), San Diego (1984-89), Philadelphia (1990), Pittsburgh (1990-91), Kansas City (1991) and Cincinnati (1991).

Mike Mason begins his first season as assistant pitching coordinator after spending the previous six years as Triple-A Iowa's pitching coach. He has 22 years of coaching experience following a seven-year big league playing career with Texas (1982-87), the Cubs (1987) and Minnesota (1988). Prior to joining the Cubs, he served as Kansas City's minor league pitching coordinator (2004-07), while also handling interim pitching coach duties at the Major League level in 2004. Mason served as pitching coach for Philadelphia's Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre club in 2002-03 after serving as Kansas City's minor league pitching instructor the previous two seasons (2000-01). He began his coaching career in Kansas City's minor league system from 1991-99.

Doug Jarrow begins his seventh season as Chicago's minor league strength and conditioning coordinator. He previously spent five years in the Dodgers organization, including 2003-05 as the minor league strength and conditioning coordinator and 2006-07 as the Major League strength coach. Jarrow began his career as a minor league strength and conditioning coach with Tampa Bay in 1998 and Pittsburgh in 1999.

Nick Frangella begins his 11th season with the organization and his first as head minor league athletic training and performance coordinator. He spent the previous two seasons as Triple-A Iowa's athletic trainer.

Chuck Baughman enters his 15th year with the Cubs organization, his first season as assistant athletic training coordinator. He spent the previous eight seasons as a rehabilitation coordinator and joined the organization as Single-A Boise's athletic trainer in 2001. His career in professional baseball began in 1999 when he was the athletic trainer for Single-A Clinton in Cincinnati's system.

Rick Tronerud returns for his 19th year with the Cubs and his first as minor league rehab pitching coordinator. He spent the previous 13 seasons with Rookie-League Mesa, serving as the club's rehab pitching coach. Tronerud joined the organization in 1996 as the pitching coach at Rookie-League Fort Myers after pitching (1972-81) and coaching (1982-89) in Oakland's farm system.

Rey Fuentes begins his second season as Coordinator of Cultural Education, overseeing all educational classes for the Cubs Latin American players. Prior to joining the Cubs he coached and taught physical education in the Orlando area. Fuentes graduated from Barry University in Miami Shores, Fla., in 2002 with a degree in Exceptional Student Education.